Improvement in photographic eye-rests



S. M. WILLIAMS. PHOTOGRAPHIYC EYE-REST.

Patented Dec. 7,1875.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHQGRAPNER, WASHINGTON: D Cv UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIon SYLVESTER M. WILLIAMS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE-RESTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,794, dated December'7, 1875; application filed July 13, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYLVESTER M. WIL- Hints, of San Francisco, SanFrancisco county, State of California, have invented a PhotographicEye-Rest; and I do hereby declare the following description andaccompanying drawings are suflicient to enable any person skilled in theart or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use mysaid invention without further invention or experiment.

Myinvention relates to a novel device for fixing the attention of aperson who is sitting for a photographic or other picture, where it isnecessary to look in one direction for a considerable time; and itconsists of a stand or frame which has within it a moving picture orpanorama. This panorama is made to pass over a limited opening, so thatthe sitter will have the eyes rested by a succession of new objectswithout being obliged to move the eyes from the spot.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation ofmyinvention, Figure 1 is a view of my device with a part of the boxremoved.

In taking photographic and similar pictures one of the most difficultthings to be done is to preserve a natural expression to the eyes, andthis difficulty arises from'the fixed stare with which the person isobliged to look at some object while the picture is being taken. Toobviate this difficulty I have conceived the idea of employing somemoving object, which, being made to pass a small opening, will serve tofix the eyes sufficiently without tiring them.

In the present case I have shown a frame or flat case, A, which ismounted upon a verti- -cal staff, B, and held in place by a suitablespring, so as to be adjusted to suit the sitter. Within this case Iprovide a series of pietures or views, 0, which may be more or lesscontinuous; but care should be. taken to have a good variety, so thatthey will not be monotonous. These views are mounted upon canvas, orotherwise placed in line, so that the whole can be made to pass aroundtwo vertical rollers, D D, as shown, one of these rollers being placedat each side of the case A. The front of the case is made open,

and provided with sliding doorE, so that a suitably-sized space can beopened at any point in front of the pictures. This is for the purpose ofexposing the picture close to the camera for front views. In order tomove these pictures so as to pass the aperture I have provided thespindle of one of the rollers D with a pinion, F, which is driven byawheel,

G, ofa train of clock-work, as shown. It is intended to start themechanism at the instant of commencing the picture, and it will beallowed to run long enough to finish the sitting. To do this I employ alever, H,- with a pin at one end, and a spring, I, causes this pin todrop into a hole in the Wheel G. The pin is lifted from the hole bypressing a pin, J, just beneath the case, an :l thisforces the oppositeend of the lever H up until the pin is released. At the same instant alever, K, is pressed beneath the lever H, and holds it up until theslow-moving wheel G has started. A pin upon the wheel G then throws thislever K back, so as to free the lever H. The pin on the lever H will nowrest against the smooth side of the wheel G, and the whole mechanismwill rotate until the hole in the wheel comes around again, when the pinwill drop into it and stop the machine. The tension. of the picture-beltis maintained by mounting the journals of one roller upon sliding boxesat n, and a spring, 0, serves to give sutfioient tension to insure themoving of the belt. By this or a similar construction I am enabled toprovide a photographic eye-rest, which, by its motion, will relieve theeye and give a better expression to the sitter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

A photographic eye-rest, as described, consisting of the box A, providedwith the laterally-adjustable sliding doors, and containing anautomatically-moving continuous picture, in combination with thevertically-adjusting support B, all constructed and arranged to operatesubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

SYLVESTER M. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

GEo. H. STRONG, O. M. RICHARDSON.

